Enhanced organic explosives



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3,012,868 ENHANCED ORGANIC EXPLGSIVES Joseph R. Hradel, Mount Pleasant, Mich, assignor to The Dow Chemical Company, Midland, Mich, a corporation of Delaware 7 No Drawing. Filed Dec. 16, 1957, Ser. No. 702,753 7 Claims. (Cl. 52-7)- This invention relates to a method and composition for increasing the total workcapacity generated by organic, non-initiating explosives. More specifically, this invention is concerned with a mixture of an organic explosive with magnesium hydride.

It has now unexpectedly been found that when magnesium hydride is mixed with an organic, non-initiating explosive such as TNT, tetryl, Composition C-4, nitroglycerin, etc., a greater Work capacity explosive is provided than is provided by the explosive itself. The amount of magnesium hydride employed will be between 2 and 10 percent, lower amounts having substantially no effect while greater amounts are less effective than the organic explosive by itself, due to the diminished amount of explosive present. Preferably, however, the material will contain from 4 to 10 percent magnesium hydride and desirably about 5 percent. While the specific explanation for the effectiveness of the magnesium hydride is not known at the present time, it is believed that the high temperatures caused by the initiation result in a disproportionation of the magnesium hydride to magnesium and hydrogen results in an increased gas pressure at the crystalline surface of the organic explosive such that more rapid initiation occurs, more rapid propagation results a and, therefore, more of the explosive becomes effective in work capacity energy output. Therefore, it is believed that conventional densities of the explosive mix- I ture should be employed.

The compositions of the present invention are readily prepared by intimately mixing the organic explosive with the magnesium hydride in a conventional manner as by blending or mixing in conventional blending or mixing in conventional explosive blending and mixing equipment. The usual care of handling and storing of the resultant mixture as is applied to the organic explosives by themselves should be carried out, although preliminary stability and handling tests indicate that organic explosives containing magnesium hydride is no more sensitive or less stable than the organic explosive itself.

The following examples are given to illustrate the compositions of the present invention but are not to be con strued as limiting the invention thereto.

Example 1 A series of mixtures of TNT (trinitrotoluene) containing varying amounts of magnesium hydride was prepared by mixing crystalline TNT with magnesium hydride of a particle size such that it passed a 30 mesh screen but stayed on a 100 mesh screen. Fifty gram quantities of the resulting mixtures were placed on a 4-ounce stoppered glass bottle and the explosion initiated with a'No. 8 Electric Initial Cap. A recording barograph was placed six feet from the detonation point and the following values recorded: 1

10 Tetryl only Tetryl plus 1% MgH 135 Tetryl plus 2% MgH 145 Tetryl plus 3% Mel-l 165 Tetryl plus 4% MgH- 175 Tetryl plus 5% M 180 Tetryl plus 6% MgH- 175 Tetryl plus 7% MgH 175 Tetryl plus 8% MgH 165 1 Tetryl plus 9% MgI-I 155 Tetryl plus 10% MgH 150 Pressure on barograph No. 8 E.B.C. only 10 TNT only. 7 TNT plus 1% 'MgH TNT plus 2% MgI-l i TNT plus 3% MfH TNT plus 4% M l-I 205 TNT plus 5% MgH 235 TNT plus 6% MgH 220 TNT plus 7% MgH e 230 TNT plus 8% MgH 225 TNT plus 9% MgH 245 TNT plus 10% MgH 230 The accuracy of therecording barograph used was only within 10 percent accounting for the variation in the above values.

Example 2 In a manner similar to that of the foregoing Example 1, a series of tests were run on tetryl having varying quantities of magnesium hydride kneaded therein. The following results were recorded:

Pressure on barograph No. 8 E.B.C. only Similarly the recording barograph had an accuracy only of within 10 percent.

' Example 3 In a manner similar to that of the foregoing examples,

Composition C-4 [RDX 91%, polyisobutylene 2.1%, motor oil 1.6%, di-(Z-ethylhexyl) sebacate 5.3%] was also tested with the following results: I

Pressure on barograph In a manner similar to that of the foregoing examples, other non-initiating, organic, explosive materials may be mixed with magnesium hydride to enhance the effectiveness of the explosive. Representative organic explosives 3,012,868 Patented Dec. 12, 1961 which might be used include, for example, picric acid, nitrostarch, ammonium picrate, nitroguanidine, PETN, ethylene dinitramine, nitrocellulose, RDX, Cyclotol, Pentolite, nitroglycerin, hexite and derivatives prepared therefrom, etc. Additionally, mixtures of these various organic explosives may be employed for various applications to achieve specific results, as well as blended forms or otherwise modified to achieve specific results.

The term non-initiating as used herein is intended to mean an explosive which requires an initiator to cause detonation.

Various modifications may be made in the compositions of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and it is to be understood that I limit myself only as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An enhanced organic explosive composition comprising a non initiating, organic explosive and from 2 to 10 weight percent magnesium hydride intimately mixed therein.

2. An enhanced organic explosive composition comprising a non-initiating, organic explosive and from 4 to 10 Weight percent magnesium hydride intimately mixed there- 3. An enhanced organic explosive composition comprising a non-initiating, organic explosive and 5 weightpercent magnesium hydride intimately mixed therein.

4. Trinitrotoluene containing from 2 to 10 Weight percent magnesium hydride intimately mixed therein.

5. Trinitrotoluene containing 5 Weight percent magnesium hydride intimately mixed therein.

6. Tetryl containing 2 to 10 weight percent magnesium hydride intimately mixed therein.

7. Tetryl containing 5 weight percent magnesium hydride intimately mixed therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Malina et a1. Oct. 30, 1951 OTHER REFERENCES 

1. AN ENCHANCED ORGANIC EXPLOSIVE COMPOSITIVE COMPRISING A NON-INITIATING, ORGANIC EXPLOSIVE AND FROM 2 TO 10 WEIGHT PERCENT MAGNESIUM HYDRIDE INITIMATELY MIXED THEREIN. 